#onward

I'm always coming up with new (to me) hashtags, and #onward has been my latest and greatest.

Granted, I'm still moving through recovery (full details HERE), but I'm also moving onward from what got me there. It's hard to say when or where the finish line will appear or if I'll even be aware of it happening. After all, aren't we always moving towards something, or away from something else, in our quest for adventure?


Anyways, this past week was one of phenomenal growth, discovery, and accomplishment. Care to hear what went down?

It started with Monday's major PR in post-op (cumulative) walking miles. How does the number NINE grab you? Don't worry, those nine miles happened over the course of the entire day, not all in one outing. You know, never miss a Monday!

I went out for 3 miles in the early morning...

Don't ya love the magic of filters?

....and my friend, Barb (remember her?), met up with me and we walked about 5.5 miles in the evening.

Why do a second walk? Why not!

The temps on Tuesday morning, were a bit chilly for August...we're talking mid-50's. Ummm...as much as I love the cooler temps, I prefer them in October and not as early as August, thank you very much. #Brrrrr  I ended the day with  5 miles (plus some planking & push-ups).

And a plank in the early morning sunshine...

Wednesday was another cool morning, but I had a light bulb moment as I was getting ready to leave for my early morning jaunt....why not pull out a pair of arm warmers (instead of whining about the cool temps)? I'm not ready to give up my tank tops just yet. I did some planking when I returned to the house, and a little bit of arm work. The day ended with 6 total walking miles.

Not just a runner

Thursday was, yet, another morning with temps in the 50's. Seriously, Momma N, what kind of game are you playing? The day ended with 5 cumulative miles of walking.

Shhhh! The city is still asleep...

Again, more cool temps on Friday morning. Isn't it weird how, just overnight, the weather can drastically change? This entire week had chilly temps in the early morning hours, everyday. Fortunately, every day has also had normal "seasonal" temps by afternoon, so it has been manageable. Actually, I guess it's been a good refresher on what to wear for those chilly, pre-start line temps for race days, right? Friday ended with 4.5 miles.

Saturday was a beautiful day. We didn't have a lot of sunshine, but the temps were pretty mild and the humidity was minimal. The hubby and I had been to a baseball game the evening prior, and returned home late. I chose to snooze a little later than usual Saturday morning, but was out the door around 7:30. I had intended to walk 3 miles, but as I was nearing the finish of my route, I ran into a friend I had not seen for awhile...so I walked a couple extra miles with her.

I have not had much opportunity (or ability) to do any yard work this summer...and my flower gardens are badly in need of some TLC. I spent a couple hours in the afternoon pulling out numerous weeds, and dividing/transplanting some plants...can you say, Garden Squats? I ended the day with 7.5 total miles and a very tired body.

I scored a bargain on a Cubs hat at the baseball game, so I had to wear it!

Sunday was another beautiful day in Iowa! It also was day #21 of early morning walking! I was out the door before 5:30 for 3 peaceful miles before the sunrise. There was even more garden squats (among other stuff) on the roster for the afternoon.

Kind of cool when the early morning sky matches your Route 66 jacket!

Overall, it was another great week on my Road to Recovery. As this post goes live (Sunday morning), my weekly miles are at 40 (but there will probably be another 2-3 miles added before the sun sets on Sunday evening). Dang! There's no way I'd be logging that many miles under normal circumstances,  even if I was deep in the throes of training. All of this walking has given me a new perspective....on more than just running.

In case you missed them, here's my blog posts from last week:
***Better Faster Stronger
***Road Signs...Are runners exempt?
***Can we talk about Walking?

Road to Recovery update:
***Mobility is  great! Walking is a no-brainer, and I can tell my pace is improving substantially.

***Range of motion is slowly improving. I can go up stairs with ease, and going down is getting easier every day. Getting in/out of a car is still my most challenging daily activity...these darn long legs need to bend a lot for that to happen and having one knee that can't quite cooperate 100% is annoying.

***The suture site is also looking better every day. At times, it feels really tight, especially after I've been sitting for awhile or have had my leg "straight" for an extended period of time. I'm using a lot of lotion (as well as coconut oil) to keep the skin  moisturized, and that seems to help.

In other news:
My #FridayFashionFlair post on my Instagram page actually showcased my Thursday outfit. What can I say? The cheetah print cold shoulder blouse paired with a "simple" denim mini was much more fashionable than what I wore on Friday. You can never go wrong with a couple of fashion staples like these, both can be dressed down or glitzed up with the appropriate accessories. By the way, I invite you to play along...post YOUR Friday outfit and tag me (@runningonthefly)!

It took me a few days to come up with some August goals. I decided to not mention the walking, since it's a routine thing for me anyways. I do need to be accountable for the daily push-ups and leg lifts, though. Trust me, they do happen daily, but I can tell I'm starting to get a little lax on them (side note--the teen daughter complimented me on my toned legs this week...if she's noticing, it must be happening LOL...or maybe she's just campaigning for a new car?).  And the foam rolling....it isn't just for running!

Lastly, don't ya just love it when the mailman leaves some goodies in your mailbox? I received this custom-designed paracord bracelet this week, and have been wearing it everyday.You need to check out Theresa's site, Charmed Running. She has some beautiful stuff there! I came up with the color scheme, and she did the rest!  I have also gotten zipper pulls from her (keepsakes from each of my marathons and ultras), and they are nice!

#ONWARD...with a beautiful dragonfly

So that's the latest and greatest! How was your week? Successful training? Cooler temps? Any significant running-related jewelry that you wear?

I'm linking up with Heather (on behalf of Holly and Tricia) for the Weekly Wrap. Please join us!